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Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry Honors Arif Mardin
On June 19, Turkish-born music producer Arif Mardin was named the recipient of this year's Culture and Art Achievement Award by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. Mardin's son Joe Mardin accepted the award at a ceremony on behalf of his father, who could not attend for reasons of health, from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Attaché Meltem Ohon in New York .
 The award is conferred on people who contribute in promoting Turkish culture and arts throughout the world.
Born in 1932 in Istanbul , Mardin graduated from Istanbul University and studied at the London School of Economics. In 1958 he became the first recipient of the Quincy Jones Scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston , where he also taught for one year following his graduation.
He started working with Atlantic Records in 1963 as an assistant to Nasuhi Ertegün. Six years later, he was named vice president of the company.
Mardin left Atlantic Records in 2001 and started to work for his own brand Manhattan/EMI Records, where he helped jazz singer Norah Jones earn her reputation. During his career of more than 40 years, Mardin has worked with numerous artists, including Anita Baker, the Bee Gees, Phil Collins, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Manhattan Transfer and Bette Midler.
The 12-time Grammy-winner producer was honored many times in the field of music, including the National Recording Academy of Arts and Sciences (NS) Trustee Award, which he received in February 2001.
Arif Mardin passed away on June 25, 2006.
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Kite and Windsurf Freestyle Competition
To Be Held In Turkey
“King of The Bay” 2006 Kite and Windsurf Freestyle Competition was held in Alaçati Bay at the Çesme district of Aegean Izmir city between 29 June and 2 July.
 The race, sponsored by Maui and Sons, ASPC, Shaka & Herman Pension, will feature competitors from over 25 European countries. Most of the Europe's best surfers including Rosati Andrea, Kosmowski Jakub, Slabe Tine, La Croce Federico, Buratti Filippo, Franciosi Michele, Mazzocca GambaVittorio, Winkowski Jakub, Cohen Nir, Sumereder Michael and from Turkey Kemal Demirasal and Burak Dalgiç joined the event.
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Latvia and Turkey To Sign Visa Agreement
Latvian and Turkish representatives will sign an agreement on easing visa requirements, thereby allowing citizens of Latvia to travel to Turkey without visas. The agreement will be signed by the Latvian Foreign Ministry's secretary of state Normans Penke and his Turkish counterpart Ali Tuygan.
 Under the agreement, Turkey will allow Latvian citizens to visit their country without visas if they stay for up to 30 days. Visa requirements for Turkish citizens traveling to Latvia will also be eased, including the holders of Turkey's diplomatic, service and special passports, as well as those with Latvian diplomatic and service passports.
In accordance to the new provisions, businessmen, as well as truck and bus drivers from Turkey will be able to receive Latvian visas with up to a one-year validity term within two days' time.
Turkish students who travel to Latvia to take part in EU educational programs such as Socrates, Leonardo Da Vinci and Erasmus will be issued visas at the request of respective Latvian educational institutions.
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Pamucak Hotels Hosts Epirden Beach Volleyball Championship
Organizing every year at Turkey's important tourism destinations, came to Pamucak Beach of Selçuk district in Aegean city of Izmir. Epirgen Turkey Women's Beach Volleyball Championship was organized for the first time this year with the sponsorship of the region's hotels; Ephesus Princess, Aqua Fantasy, Sürmeli, Ephesus, and Richmond Ephesus.
 A total of 20 teams each with 2 players is attending the championship. Several musical and other entertainment activities organized throughout the championship programme. Team players were hosted at sponsored hotels; Ephesus Princess, Aqua Fantasy, Sürmel, Ephesus, and Richmond Ephesus.
The championship that started with the Finike Leg organized between 21-24 June continued with Didim Leg between 26 June and 29 June.
The championship's third leg was organized in Selçuk 1-4 July.
The final of the Epirgen Turkey Women's Beach Volleyball Championship will be held in Antalya on 6-7 August.
Pegasus and IHY To Fly Together
Pegasus Airlines and Izmir Airlines (IHY), have signed a cooperative agreement to initiate joint flights starting on June 26.
IHY-Pegasus will have direct flights from Izmir to Istanbul, Ankara, Adana and Diyarabakir as well as direct flights from Ankara to Bodrum and a number of other domestic destinations.
 Pegasus CEO Ali Sabanci expressed that both companies are developing the ability to fly together. Pegasus has now reached a point where it needs more airplanes, and IHY would like to fly with many passengers onboard."
IHY President Ekrem Demirtas said that his company was set up on April 20, 2005 and added that they love Izmir and therefore they want direct flights from Izmir to European capitals and to other cities in Turkey.
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Mozart Anniversary Commemorated In Marmaris
Mozart, whose 250th birthday is being celebrated throughout the world, is now in Marmaris. Mozart's works will meet music lovers in the lyrical atmosphere of the Aegean city of Marmaris.
 The 1st International Marmaris Music Festival was opened by the Culture and Tourism Ministry Bursa Regional State Orchestrate. Many famous artists and groups are participating in the festival which will continue until July 6th.
Organized by the Marmaris Philharmonic's Association, the festival will feature 13 concerts.
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Sand Sculpture Festival In Antalya
The first sand sculpture festival whose theme is "The Myths of Anatolia" has begun in Lara Beach in southern resort city of Antalya .
 22 artists from 10 countries shaped sand sculptures with several themes including "Nasreddin Hodja", "Nemrut Myth", "Noah's Ark ", "Flag Legend", "Fairy Chimneys", "Midas" and "Troy Horse".
Mesut Ozbek, a project coordinator from Turkish Culture & Tourism Ministry, said that they expected nearly 500,000 visitors to the exhibition that would remain open till October 15th, 2006.
The exhibition, which cost 500,000 euros, has opened on an area of 8,000 square meters.
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Turkey To Join The Succesful BITE Bandwagon
Singapore, Convinced of Beijing International Tourism Expo's (BITE) successful track record from its last two presentations, Turkey - the site of two wonders of the ancient world, has stepped into the BITE arena with first-time country participation.
 Focusing on Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, the Embassy of Turkey in China has indicated their intention of utlilising the exhibition space to showcase Turkey's interesting cultural insights and its unique Turkish delights during BITE at the Beijing Exhibition Centre, Hall 11, Booth D-32, from 22 to 24 June 2006.
Mr. Mehmet Olcel, Counsellor of Turkish Embassy, Culture & Information Section in China said, ”This is the first time we are participating in BITE. We were very impressed with the presentation of BITE 2005. We strongly believe that BITE 2006 will be bigger and it shall attract the attention of both people within and outside the travel industry, which will surely be effective in attracting more visitors to Turkey.”
Honoured by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of the world's top 10 best global travel destinations and one of the ‘Top 10 European Cities', the Embassy of Turkey in China plans to unravel the mystical story of Istanbul to the world at the third presentation of BITE 2006. Recognizing the international trend of travellers gravitating towards more unusual and authentic places such as, Istanbul, the capital cleverly positions itself as a present-day marvel – the cradle of civilization, the very center of world history and a modern Westward looking republic. Istanbul is the world's only location that stretches over Europe and Asia continents cutting across the Strait of Bosporus.
Bringing Turkey to the Capital of China, Mr. Mehmet Olcel, Counsellor of Turkish Embassy, Culture & Information Section says,” “With its excellent geographical location, together with colourful and interesting cultural heritage, visitors are often fascinated by its colourful and interesting culture. Its museums, cathedrals, palaces, mosques, bazaars and the natural scenery are some of the reasons visitors find Turkey so charming and irresistible.”
Maintaining an impressive exhibitor turnout, 196 international exhibitors from 56 countries and regions and 245 Chinese exhibitors from 23 China provinces will be exhibiting alongside Turkey in the 10 halls dedicated to BITE 2006. The 2006 figures indicate a 10 percent increase in the number of participating countries and regions. BITE 2006 will also see an increase of more than 55 percent of the total gross floor area to 20,024 sqm exhibition hall space and is slated to move and shake the international travel industry with greater velocity.
Spreading its influence over the travel and tourism industry at an impressive speed, BITE has managed to mark itself in the event calendars of countless foreign embassies and international tourism councils far and wide.
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Turkish Airlines CEO Becomes
Member of IATA Board of Governors
Turkish Airlines (THY) President and Chief Executive Officer Temel Kotil has been elected member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors.
 The three-day annual general meeting of IATA in Paris ended on June 6th.
Following the meeting, Kotil said that this membership will play a significant role in promotion of the THY. Annual passenger capacity of the THY increased 20 percent in 2005. They expect that it will go up from 14 million to 18 million in 2006. Kotil added that A Turkish CEO was elected member of IATA Board of Governors for the first time.
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TAP Air Portugal and Turkish Airlines Ink Code-Sharing
TAP Air Portugal and Turkish Airlines announced that they have signed a code-sharing agreement on the Lisbon-Istanbul route, operated by the Turkish carrier.
 From July 1, the Portuguese flag carrier will be able to place its code on the Turkish Airlines service to the Portuguese capital. Turkish Airlines flies three times a week to Lisbon .
TAP Air Portugal operates services to 46 destinations in 27 countries. Turkish Airlines flies to 103 airports outside Turkey and operates 28 domestic routes.
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